The German defender slotted calmly into the back three and goals for Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno completed a satisfying night for Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers says the second half of Liverpool’s season is going to be better than the first and, though there is still plenty of time for events to prove otherwise, two wins since Christmas have at least allowed last season’s runners-up to reach the mid-point of their campaign in good heart.

Some might point out Burnley away and Swansea at home do not represent the most daunting of festive fixtures, although Burnley’s point at Manchester City put Liverpool’s Boxing Day win at Turf Moor into a more flattering perspective, but Rodgers has found a way of playing since the heavy defeat at Manchester United that suits his present needs and the players at his disposal. Liverpool are not only performing convincingly but satisfyingly, winning while upholding the club’s best traditions.